Margie Tully: I have a number of fond memories of Laine. I think fondly of her purple coat. Oh, how she loved that coat (and so did I!) She always remembered to put it on whether she was going to recess or walking to specialists. Sometimes it was buttoned, other times it was not. Sometimes the collar would be caught under the neck of the coat but Laine never noticed! I remember the times she was line leader because then I would get to hold her hand as we walked. I loved to hold Laine’s hand because it was so small and soft and warm! Sweet, sweet Laine. I miss you so much. I remember how excited she would become when she had something to tell me. She spoke so quickly it was as though she was falling over the words in her haste to get them out of her mouth! She would often start with “Mrs. Tully, do you know…?” and end with “And that’s true, it really is.” Lastly, I remember Laine’s triumph of learning how to open the classroom door (with the help of her mom!) I can still see her sweet smiling face when she realized she had opened the door by herself. She was so proud of her accomplishment and rightly so – my classroom door has got to be the heaviest door on campus!

Lauren Robb: Laine was very special to me in so many ways. Her love and joy lives on in my heart, and the memories of our time together bring me comfort. One day in class, it was Laine’s turn to do the calendar in Mrs. Tully’s class. I led calendar that day, but I hardly needed to do anything to ensure that the other children were following the rules and being respectful – Laine had it well in hand. She began by marching to the front of the rug and thrusting one hand in the air, placing the other over her mouth as is our classroom signal for quiet. She didn’t request a respectful audience – she demanded it! Throughout the 15-minute calendar procedure, she had to repeat the gesture a few times to keep the students following the rules (usually something I need to do). The final time she did this, Laine said, in a teacherly voice full of confidence, “I’m waiting for a good audience!” She was so sassy and sure of herself that I could barely keep a straight face. Nearly every day for the past few months, Laine made me look forward to morning recess duty. I take over for the lead teachers a third of the way through first recess, and, every day when I entered the north playground, Laine would run up to me with a bright “Mrs. Robb!” and give me a hug. Then she would tell me about whatever was on her mind – whether it was about the My Little Pony movie she just watched or the guinea pigs she was planning on babysitting. So many times it started out with a “Mrs. Robb, guess what!” Sometimes, she would stand there and hold my hand, claiming that she would rather spend recess with me. I loved every minute she spent with me, and even when I sent her off to play with the other children, I selfishly wished I could keep her cuddled up to me the whole time. I loved being silly with Laine. When the silly mood struck me, I always knew I could make her laugh. During recess, lunch, dismissal or other non-academic time with the kindergartners, I joke with them about a variety of things. One day, I asked Layla if her dog would be driving her home from school, and Laine jumped into the conversation and called me on it without hesitation. I can clearly remember how she scrunched up her little nose and giggled, saying “No!” in a way that stated without a doubt that I was being ridiculous. I loved getting that response from her. Laine was also a talented artist. On a weekly basis, she made creations in the classroom art center for me to take home. She cut out hearts, drew detailed pictures, and always made sure she spelled my name correctly. She was such a generous child that I don’t think she knew how much getting these pieces of art meant to me. I have her artwork up on my wall in my apartment, and it serves as a reminder of that selfless love that she gave. As with her artwork, Laine was free with physical demonstrations of affection. She would hug me without holding back, wrapping her little arms as far as they would go around my middle. I would hug her back just as genuinely, marveling at how much happiness her hugs infused in me. There was something so wonderful about the friendship Laine and Layla shared. Laine was so small, Layla so tall, but that was where their differences really ended. They loved playing make-believe horse and pony games at recess, galloping around the playground past me. Despite her diva nature, Laine was flexible with the game rules, allowing for Layla to have just as much say in how things went. Layla was not the only one who wanted to bask in Laine’s glow during recess. Girls in every single grade level above Laine’s would come over to the North playground at recess asking for Laine. They were hooked on her cute, friendly demeanor – and Laine loved the attention she received. Laine taught me so many things even in the short time we had together. I will miss her every day.

Madeleine Pot: Laine was interacting with me often on the playground when I had duty. I will always remember her this winter in her beautiful purple and black coat that she loved so much. She was so polite and always asked permission to go to the bathroom, to find another spot to play on the Big Toy, or to get a drink of water. She was also a cherished member of our Family 14, who met in my classroom on Family Friday days. She was well cared for by Tsuki Carlson who was her buddy and who, like me, misses her presence so very much. She loved listening to the older children sharing their stories, watching their creation of crafts and participating in the activities. She was quieter in the circle and observed the goings on, rather than being loud and boisterous. Sweet, sweet girl, always smiling at me with her beautiful eyes and her cheerful smile. I also remember when I was in the Post Office on Bohannon Drive last spring and I think you and the Devaux family were getting in line to sign up for passports. Olivia Devaux knew Laine already and introduced her to me. Mistakenly I asked Laine if she was in room A and she quickly answered:” No room B, I will be in kindergarten next year!” Of course I apologized and told her that I was a very little girl also when I was in kindergarten! I think she forgave me for my mistake! She was the only girl at school whose name was the same as mine. All of this makes her so special to me and I will never forget this spunky little girl. I realize that her tragic loss will never soften your pain but maybe the happy memories we all have might give you just a tiny bit of comfort. My thoughts and my prayers remain with you, always. A big hug for Mathew and wishes of much strength and faith I am sending to you.

Debra Jarjoura and Kitri Cook: Our sweetest Laine, We feel so lucky that you were a part of our ELC community for two years. Your sweetness always radiated through your beautiful smile, your kind heart, and all of the love you shared in our classroom. We will always cherish your spunkiness, your imaginative and dramatic nature, and all of the silly and playful moments we shared. Among our fond memories of our time together, we enjoyed hearing stories about your imaginary family and watching your excitement as you welcomed the baby chicks to the ELC. Your photos and stories remain in our classroom books, and you will always have a place in our hearts. Love, Ms. Cook and Ms. Jarjoura

Maeve Knoth: I rarely do recess duty with the kindergarteners, but two days in a row when I was down with the children, Laine and Layla were so fabulous to watch. They decided to clean up the play area and approached the task by searching for and picking up the tiniest pieces of detritus, carrying them back to me to be admired, and depositing them in the trash. Some of the things they found really were the size of lint but they brought each to be admired before throwing it away. They made me smile. Laine was distraught the Family Friday that Tsuki was out on a shadow visit. She would not leave her classroom doorway because no one came specifically to pick her up. I went over to “claim” her and she dried her tears, held my hand lightly and joined me for Family Friday. She sat on my lap, participated calmly and “pulled herself together”, but without Tsuki, she was bereft. Laine always greeted me by name when I passed her on campus and so hers was one of the first names/faces I put together when I came on as faculty in October. She was so outgoing and so warm. I work with children because children like Laine make my job feel like the most important thing in the world.

Isabel Ochoa: I fondly remember one sunny afternoon, as we were getting ready for dismissal, Laine came up to me with a cute and playful smile and asked me to “cut the pickle” as she put her two index fingertips together in front of me and lifted her arms. At first I wasn’t sure what to do, but then I caught on and did as I was told. I did a light “chopping” motion with my hand as hers reached out and gave me a soft ” tickle, tickle, tickle” on my tummy. I will always remember Laine every time my young nephews try to pull the same trick on me.

Marissa Busch and Barby Little: Right before February vacation, we were outside rolling different balls down a ramp to see which one went farther. Her partner that day wasn’t paying much attention and didn’t want to do the activity. Laine did, and she was very upset by her partner’s lack of focus. She went to Mrs. Busch and asked for help. Mrs. Busch sat down with Laine and showed her how to the do the activity on her own. She was so proud and excited to be able to do it by herself, and she worked really hard to finish the activity. She was all smiles after that (which of course put a smile on Mrs. Busch’s face too!). Laine always came to science with a big smile. She was focused and delighted with each new discovery. Whether throwing an airplane, mixing a potion, listening to her homemade banjo, or anything else we did in science, she had this look of wonder and joy. She was a delight to be with, and a pleasure to teach. We are lucky to have had Laine in our lives.

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Catherine Masters (Laine’s ELC Teacher).  Dear Anna and Mathai,  I wanted to let you know how sorry I am for your loss. Laine was an amazing child, someone who exhibited real bits of magic and light. She was an amazing friend to all in the ELC- her heart was bursting with love for all of us and I feel so incredibly lucky to have spent 2 years with her in the ELC.  What stands out most to me about Laine was her passion for all things related to love, family, marriage, and babies. She was always eager to report on her “husband’s” latest activities, and would sometimes bounce into school proclaiming that today was her baby’s birthday! It was completely joyous to be around, and the sweetness with which she described this love for both her real and “other” family spread throughout the ELC. Laine often talked about her siblings; her sister up in heaven and her greatly adored brother. Her playground time was always made that much more special if she could catch a glimpse of him, shouting his name and waving with such love. Once he graduated, Laine filled her classmates in on middle school life frequently. 🙂  I had the privilege of conducting Word Wizard discussions with the Room Bers, and Laine was always a very active participant. She spoke with great authority on any issues of the heart. She was happy to explain how marriage worked to her less-informed peers, or help her friends understand that it was a mom and dad’s job to take care of each other. While it’s common for children to profess knowledge with an heir of superiority, Laine only spoke with the utmost love and the pure, innocent desire to educate others. She was eager to act as a welcoming tour guide, inviting them into the magical world of love, marriage, and family.   Another one of my favorite memories (and I think this is documented in her portfolio) was when she helped Aden in the Writing Center. Aden was stepping outside of his comfort zone, trying out a new interest in writing and drawing. Laine kindly offered assistance in spelling out the members of his family whom he had drawn. She asked if he needed to add more details, making sure she could identify each member of his family. She very elegantly balanced offering assistance and providing space for him to take a risk. In so many ways, she embodied the spirit of an educator. And because her kindness was so big, so vibrant, she was able to approach and play with anyone in the ELC. Her peers welcomed her help because they knew she always operated in this place of pure love.  When I announced that 2013 would be my last year in the ELC, the teachers asked the students for advice on what I should do next. Laine supposed that I should start a family and spend time taking care of babies. I felt a special unity with Laine because, unbeknownst to her, that was my plan, and I’m now 7 months pregnant. I wish I could have shared the news with Laine, because I know how proud she would have been that I was embarking on a path she valued so highly.  I imagine her now blessing families and new babies all around the world, spreading her love from above. Please know how much your family is in my thoughts and prayers, and how fondly I will forever remember Laine. She was so truly compassionate, embodying a spirit of maturity and nurturing that I’ve never quite seen in another so young.  All my love, Catherine (Ms. Masters…formerly Ms. Chewning)